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Ono to steer Meltdown Festival

Yoko Ono will curate next year's Meltdown Festival choosing the musicians and artists who will appear at the annual event.

The 79-year-old Japanese-born artist, and widow of John Lennon, follows in the footsteps of some of music's biggest names including David Bowie, Patti Smith and Jarvis Cocker.

The festival, at the Southbank Centre in London, stretches over 10 days in June.

Yoko said: "I am deeply honoured to curate the world-famous Meltdown Festival. In doing so I am aware of the great tradition of experimentalism mixed with classicism that has made the festival such an enduring part of the British arts landscape.

"I am now starting to approach names from all over the world, some of whom you will know and some who might be new to your world. Let the fun begin."

The centre said the festival would be "led by the artist's dedication to music across all genres, environmentalism, feminism and peace".

Yoko has performed at the festival twice, in 2005 and 2009, when it was organised by singer Patti Smith and jazz musician Ornette Coleman.

The line-up for the festival will be announced next year.

Among the names to have performed over the years are Nina Simone, Radiohead, Grace Jones and Ray Davies.